The basic structure of a transmission parking lock for an automatic transmission is known from DE 36 36 978 C2. Accordingly, a transmission parking lock has an actuating rod that is essentially translationally displaceable, which is also designated as a push rod or a connecting rod, whereas the actuating rod bears an actuating element frequently designed as a cam. Moreover, a transmission parking lock has a locking lever that is essentially rotationally displaceable, which is frequently designated as a locking arm, whereas, for inserting the transmission parking lock through the translational displacement of the actuating rod, the locking lever is pivotable from a resting position of the same into a locked position, i.e. in such a manner that, in the locked position, a locking element of the locking lever engages in a recess of a gear wheel allocated to a gear shaft. In such a case, a rotation of the gear wheel and/or the gear shaft is then blocked by the locking lever. If the actuating rod is translationally displaced in an opposite direction, the locking element of the locking lever is able to release the gear wheel and/or gear shaft, in particular by the fact that the locking lever is pressed by a spring element back into the resting position.
With transmission parking locks known in the state of the art, the actuating element of the translationally displaceable actuating rod in the resting position of the same lies on a section of the locking lever if, in the transmission, for example, the driving position “D” is engaged for forward motion. If, for example the actuating rod, external or internal to the transmission, is excited by vibrations, an unwanted relative motion may form, on the one hand, between the actuating rod and the locking lever, namely the actuating element and the locking lever, and, on the other hand, between the locking lever and the drive gear, namely the locking element of the locking lever and the gear wheel. As a result, a ratchet (for example) between the locking lever and the gear wheel may be formed. This is detrimental.